Learning Objectives
Players will increase knowledge of cognitive bias and bias blind spot.
Players will reduce cognitive bias and fundamental attribution error, maintaining bias reduction over an extended period.
About MACBETH
MACBETH (Mitigating Analyst Cognitive Bias by Eliminating Task Heuristics) is an award-winning strategy game that puts players in the position of an intelligence analyst who manages intel resources and uses information to foil terrorist threats around the globe. Determine the location, method, and suspect of potential terrorist attacks by using the skills of a real intelligence analyst in this exciting strategy game.
Players must counteract threats to American interests by using the intelligence data at hand without allowing their cognitive biases to cloud their judgment. The game is comprised of 10 unique missions that take students all over the world, testing their analytical skills while defusing intense situations with potentially catastrophic consequences. The objective of the game is to improve accuracy of credibility assessments and mitigate cognitive biases of future intelligence analysts.
MACBETH provides an interactive learning experience that encourages intrinsic motivation and has been shown in experimental trials to be more effective than current methods used to mitigate certain cognitive biases. Research based on MACBETH has resulted in the publication of at least seven academic articles and numerous conference proceedings.
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The K20 Center is part of an OU team awarded a contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory in support of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) to develop an educational video game or “serious game” to train intelligence analysts and measure their proficiency in recognizing and mitigating the cognitive biases that affect intelligence analysis.
Media
Game Resources
In addition to full implementation support, the K20 Center provides the following documents to help instructors effectively integrate MACBETH into their classrooms:
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Get GamesAwards and Publications
Adaptive Force Award (selected by the Office of the Secretary of Defense): MACBETH. Interservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Conference: IARPA SIRIUS program. (2013).
Best Game Overall (Business Category): MACBETH. Interservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Conference: IARPA SIRIUS program. (2013).
Adame, B. J. (2016). Training in the mitigation of anchoring bias: A test of the consider-the-opposite strategy. Learning and Motivation, 53, 36-48.
Bessarabova, E., Piercy, C., King, S., Vincent, C., Dunbar, N. E., Burgoon, J. K., Miller, C. H., Jensen, M., Elkins, A., Wilson, D., Wilson, S. N., & Lee, Y.-H. (2016). Mitigating Bias Blind Spot via a serious video game. Computers in Human Behavior, 62, 452-466. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.089
Dunbar, N. E., Jensen, M. L., Miller, C. H., Bessarabova, E., Straub, S., Wilson, S. N., Elizondo, J., Burgoon, J. K., Valacich, J. S., Adame, B., Lee, Y., Lane, B., Piercy, C., Wilson, D., King, S., Vincent, C. and Schuetzler, R. Dallas (2014). Mitigating Cognitive Bias Through the Use of Serious Games: Effects of Feedback. International Journal of Game-Based Learning, 7(4).
Dunbar, N. E., Jensen, M. L., Miller, C. H., Bessarabova, E., Straub, S., Wilson, S. N., Elizondo, J., Burgoon, J. K., Valacich, J. S., Adame, B., Lee, Y., Lane, B., Piercy, C., Wilson, D., King, S., Vincent, C. and Schuetzler, R. (2014, May). Mitigating Cognitive Bias Through the Use of Serious Games: Effects of Feedback. Paper presented to the Persuasive Technology 2014 Conference, Padua, Italy.
Dunbar, N. E., Jensen, M. L., Elizondo, J. Piercy, C., Bessarabova, E., Twyman, N. W., Burgoon, J. K., Valacich, J., Adame, B., Miller, C. H., Wilson, S. (2013, June). Engagement in a Serious Game: Results from Self-Report, Eye-tracking, and Biophysiological Data. Paper presented at “Power of Play: Motivational Uses and Applications of Digital Games,” Pre-Conference to the 63rd International Communication Association Annual Conference, London, UK.
Dunbar, N. E., Miller, C. H., Adame, B., Elizondo, J., Wilson, S. N., Lane, B., Kauffman, A., Bessarabova, E., Jensen, M. J., Straub, S. K., Burgoon, J. K., Valacich, J., Jenkins, J., Zhang, J., Lee, Y.-H. (2014). Implicit and explicit training in the mitigation of cognitive bias through the use of a serious game. Computers in Human Behavior, 37, 307-318. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2014.04.053
Dunbar, N. E. Miller, C. H., Adame, B. J., Elizondo, J., Wilson, S. N., Schartel, S., Lane, B., Kauffman, A. A., Straub, S., Burgoon, J. K., Valacich, J., Bessarabova E., Jensen, M. L., Jenkins, J., Zhang, J., Morrison, D. (2013, June). Implicit and Explicit Training in the Mitigation of Cognitive Bias Through the Use of a Serious Game. Paper presented to the Games + Learning + Society Conference, Madison, WI.
Dunbar, N. E., Wilson, S., Adame, B., Elizondo, J., Jensen, M. L., Miller, C., Allums. A., Seltsam, T., Bessarabova, E., Vincent, C., Straub, S., Ralston, R., Dulawan, C. L., Ramirez, D., Squire, K., Valacich, J. & Burgoon, J. K. (2013). The Development of a Training Game for the Mitigation of Cognitive Bias: The Case Study of MACBETH. International Journal of Game-Based Learning, 3(4), 7-26. DOI: 10.4018/ijgbl.2013100102
Dunbar, N. E., Wilson, S., Adame, B., Elizondo, J., Jensen, M. L., Miller, C., Allums. A., Seltsam, T., Bessarabova, E., Vincent, C., Straub, S., Ralston, R., Dulawan, C. L., Paiz-Ramirez, D., Squire, K. (2013, June). The Development of a Serious Game for the Mitigation of Cognitive Bias: The Case Study of MACBETH. Paper presented at the International Communication Association, London, UK.
Jensen, M. L., Lee, Y. H., Piercy, C. W., Dunbar, N. E., Elizondo, J., Bessarabova, E., Twyman, N. W., Burgoon, J. K., Valacich, J. S., Adame, B., Miller, C., Wilson, S. (2016). Exploring Failure and Engagement in a Complex Digital Training Game: A Multi-Method Examination. AIS Transactions on Human Computer Interaction, 8, 1-20. Available at: http://aisel.aisnet.org/thci/vol8/iss1/2
Lee, Y.-H., Dunbar, N. E., Miller, C., Lane, B., Jensen, M., Bessarabova, E., Burgoon, J., Adame, B., Valacich, J., Arterburn, E., Bostwick, E., Piercy, C., King, S., Elizondo, J., & Wilson, S. (2016). Training Anchoring and representativeness bias mitigation through a digital game: Effectiveness and delivery format. Simulation and Gaming, 47(6), 751-779. DOI: 10.1177/1046878116662955
Miller, C. H., Dunbar, N. E., & Lane, B. L. (2015, May). A New Scale for Confirmation Bias. Paper presented at the International Communication Association annual conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Wilson, D., Jenkins, J., Twyman, N., Jensen, M., Valacich, J., Dunbar, N., Wilson, S., Miller, C., Adame, B., Lee, Y-H., Burgoon, J., Nunamaker, J. (2016, January). Serious games for reducing bias in credibility decisions: An evaluation framework and case study. Paper presented to the 49th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Kauai, HI.
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